The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-02-16
Dependent Pension Bill Vetoed.

AS had been expected for some days,
the President returned to the house
last Friday the dependent pension {"
bill without his approval. In a long
veto message the President refers to
the service pensions granted to the
survivors of the revolution, the war of
1872 and the Mexican war, showing
that the pensions were given from
thirty to forty years after the respective
wars, when the beneficiaries were, on
account of their advanced age, more or
less incapacitated from labor for their
own support, and draws the conclusion
that the measure under consideration
is at the least thirteen years too early,
the veterans of the civil war being now
as rule in the prime of life. He
points out the great number of enlist
ments during the civil war, the long
pension roll, the 100000 900 already
paid in pensions and the $75 100000
appropriated for the present fiscal year,
and declares that the estimate called
for by the proposed law should be
many times multiplied, that it would
increase from year to year, so that in
time the amount would be appalling,
and that perhaps the contemplated re-
duction of the revenues should be ques-
toned in view of the enormous ex-
pense. He further declares that the
terms of the bill are indefinite and SUBJ
ject to mischievous construction, and
also that the enactment of the bill
would cause such race for the benefits
promised that the inducement to fraud
and deceit would be almost untold.
The bill has not been made party
measure. A large number of demo-
Gratis voted for the bill and many re-
publicans opposed it. While several
leading republican papers favor the
measure, other equally as good republic
can papers have sought to demonstrate
its impolicy and the possible dangers
its enactment would invite. The Troy
Times says that dissatisfaction with the
veto will find expression chiefly
among the claim agents and attorneys
who originated this intended strike
upon the treasury" On the other
hand, the Boston Journal declares that
lit is no claim agents scheme, and no
measure devised by bounty-jumpers
and hospital bummers. 1t must be
said, however, that some of the argu-
ments urged by the President against
the bill are applicable to the Mexican
pension bill, which he has signed. One
objection to the latter measure, which
was noted at the time, is that it gives
pensions to veterans of the Mexican
war who subsequently served in the
rebel army. But the point made by
the President in reference to the in
definite scope of the dependent pension
bill is well taken. There is altogether
too much of what may be called expert
mental legislation. In the case of this
dependent pension bill no one appears
to have any definite idea of the proba-
BILE expense to the country, the esti-
mates ranging from $25 100000 to
500, 100000 per annum, and from
some statements made in the course of
the discussion on this bill in the senate
and house we infer that the measure
had not been perfected with sufficient
care to shut out dishonest and fraudu-
lent claimants from participation in its
benefits. 1t is stated that some of the
eastern congressman of both parties
think that there should be no further
outlay for pensions until something
has been done for our navy and coast
defences.